I've been awarded :)

A couple of days ago my blogging friend Athena, she of the Dead Dollies fame, gave me this very special award. It really means a lot, and hope, courage and faith are very important to me! Thank you, Athena.
Dear readers, please take the time to check out all the wonderful creations and artwork in Athena's shop! You won't be disappointed. Athena is a multi-talented artist and photographer. She experiments a lot with her photos, and the results are always stunning. I really wish I had the ability to take pictures like that!

And my dear friend, Melissa, over at ChinkyMel's Corner gave me the 'Thank you for blogging Award'. Many, many thanks Mel! I enjoy reading Mel's blog - her kindhearted, thoughtful and intelligent nature shines through in each post. I recently discovered her hidden talent - she's a crafty lady! And best of all, she's just opened her shop on Etsy! Check out GlamUp and be wowed!!! And while you're there...give a few hearts to a fellow Etsian :)

I'm passing on this Thank you for blogging Award to the following (in no particular order):

Ambrosia @ Brosia's Blog
Erika @ Nico Designs
Ann @ Snap, Edit & Scrap
Sharla @ Beaded Tail
Jenie @ Earthy Me

All these blogs are special in their own way, and sooo worth reading! They should be on your reading list too!

Have a nice day!

Happy 1st Advent!

It seems I'm spending more time in the kitchen these days than at my desk!
I made these chocolate orange cookies this morning, and now my whole house smells yummy :)
Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

100 gr dark chocolate (chopped)
125 gr butter
125 gr sugar, pinch of salt
1 free-range egg (medium)
grated rind of 1 organic orange
200 gr white flour
1 tsp. baking powder

chocolate for the glaze ( I used one with 65% cocoa)

How to

Beat the butter, sugar, salt, egg and orange rind. Mix the baking powder with the flour and sift into the butter mixture. Add the chopped chocolate and quickly knead to a firm dough. Wrap it in foil and leave in the refridgerator for at least 2 hours.
Roll out the dough to about 5mm thickness. Cut out any shape you wish (mine is a flower). Place on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 10 - 15 min. at 200°C.
Let cool. Melt chocolate in a small bowl. Dip each cookie into the chocolate and place on a rack to dry.
Store the cookies in a cool and dry place.

Enjoy!

Catnip Kitty

Sammy needs to lose weight. He's not a particularly active cat, so the vet advised us to reduce his daily intake of food. No more snacks! He's been on a diet for about a month now, I thought he deserved a little reward...so I made a little toy shaped like a cat and filled with organic catnip!

Expect the Unexpected

My mini-event was a wonderful experience! Who would have thought that a room full of women (and one cute toddler) plus a table full of bags translates into lots of FUN!

Since it was an informal affair I wasn't under too much pressure, and by the end of the day we were talking as if we had known each other for ages.

Sales-wise I sold a few make-up bags, but surprisingly my handbags and shopping totes drew the most attention, although I hadn't even planned on selling them! These are bags that I made about two years ago, and I actually took them out of the cupboard in the last minute, because I needed to fill some space on the table. At that time I didn't have my label yet - nevertheless one lady was so delighted she bought two straight away. I also received two custom orders for the same type of bag. I am very pleased, especially since things are slowing down with my other work as we are nearing the end of the year. 

As mentioned in my previous post I will gradually list the remaining bags in my shop, but I won't be making any new products until next year. This cute make up bag is now for sale in my shop. If you look closer you'll see the retro print is made up of tiny little birdies. I embellished the front with a satin ribbon and bow for that chic touch!